Essaouria is somewhere that people might not think to go when in Morocco but, if you have the time, it is absolutely worth a visit.
It is definitely more touristy than somewhere like Fez, and it doesn't quite have the charm of Marrakech; but it has a completely unique atmosphere that brings a Morocco trip into perfect balance. It also doesn't hurt that it is one of the most photogenic places I have ever been, the whole time there was like one long Instagram photoshoot!
At it's heart, Essaouria is a beach town, and it shows. It has that laid back vibe that beach towns tend to have, and the sea air seems to make everyone a little bit more relaxed. There isn't a huge amount to do, but days could be spent wandering around and soaking up the atmosphere, although I've also been told that it's one of the best places in the world for wind-reliant water sports.
Essaouria, in very simple terms, is made up of the beach promenade area, and the walled town area. The beach area is perfect for relaxing and doing water sports - although you won't see many people sunbathing in bikinis, this is a still a Muslim country after all; stick to the hotel pool for getting some sun - but chances are that you'll spend most of your time within the walls of Essaouria. The maze of winding streets are full of stalls, shops and cafes, and there is plenty to take in by exploring. Most of the buildings are shades of white and blue, with the occasional splash of yellow, and it is just so pretty. I have never taken so many photos of doors and tiny building details of my life. Some of the prettiest streets are right behind the walls where the streets are the most narrow. Even going off down random and deserted alleys, we never felt uncomfortable at all wandering around, and we found that there is very little of the heckling that you get in Marrakech.
The walls themselves are also worth exploring, I am a sucker for being high up and when the sea is crashing below and I can sit on a giant cannon all the better!
The other main attraction would have to be the port area. With dozens of blue and green fishing boats as far as the eye can see and the manic atmosphere of the fish market, with seagulls swooping down, fish sellers shouting, the smell of fish everywhere, makes for an amazing experience. My advice would to be go in the morning when the action is at its height, it may be slightly intimidating but it's the best way to get the full experience. The fish sellers get really angry when you take photos so the tactic I took was to be sneaky and take photos from the hip, for me this meant that a lot were out of focus or not even centred on anything in particular, so maybe it would have been better to just soak in the whole experience?!
For a calm vantage point over the madness, there is a section of raised wall towards the back of the market where you can observe without being shouted at.
You can buy fish from the market, and then get the BBQ men near the market to cook the fish up for you, but for me the haggling was too hard with the fish sellers and I felt a little bit like I was getting ripped off, but I didn't feel that the experience was lacking because I didn't get to buy my own fish - there are plenty of restaurants around the city which sell beautiful fish and seafood much much cheaper and without the hassle of haggling.
Two of my favourite restaurants that we went to were Taros, a bar and restaurant with amazing views over the sea and killer sunsets. Arrive early to get a seat overlooking the sea on the top sundeck, order a few beers and relax as the sun sinks into the sea. The food is also pretty good, but the vibe is great. Every night we were there, there was a live band and often customers joined the band on stage for a kind of karaoke sing-a-long, a great place to spend an evening!
The other place that is worth a visit is Le Chalet De Le Plage, we went because it was on the list of Morocco's best restaurants and when we found it we definitely thought that there must have been a mistake. It looks so run down from the outside, and the inside is ridiculously basic and retro, but the seafood is incredible. When you're eating such tasty food, you won't care what your surroundings are like!
Overall, my advice to you about Morocco is don’t be put off by the odd heckle and unsavoury character. Talk to everyone and discover how welcoming and friendly the Moroccan people really are. Take the crude remarks with a pinch of salt and have fun with it, in my experience the loudest cat calls were all bark no bite.
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